The Hunters of the Hills

hat is now the State of New York. The water, a brilliant blue under skies of the same intense sapphire tint, rippled awa

break anywhere. Only the pink or delicate red of a wild flower just bursting into bloom varied the solid expanse of emerald walls;

powerfully and with muscles and sinews developed to an amazing degree. His face, in childhood quite fair, had been burned almost as brown as that of an Indian by long exposu

ticed anywhere. But the eyes of the curious would su

alanced so nicely that their delicate craft floated on a perfectly even keel. The lad near the prow was an Indian of a nobler type

but his shoulders were broad and his chest wide and deep. His color was a light copper, the tint verging toward r

g and careful labor. It was a splint arch, curving over the head, and crossed by another arch from side to side, the whole inclosed by a cap of fine network, fastened with a silver band. From the crest, like the plume of a Roman knight, a cluster of pure white

of deerskin tanned beautifully, descending to the knees, belted at the waist, and decorated elaborat

quills of the porcupine and rows of small, colored beads. The moccasins, ahtaquaoweh, of deerskin, were also decorated with quills and beads, but the broad belt, gagehta, holding in his tunic at the waist, was of rich blue velvet,

and bore an aspect of refinement unusual in the woods. The blue eyes were thoughtful and the chin, curving rather delicately, indicated gentleness and a sense of humor

et, "and I'm glad of it, lads. It's not a time, just when the spring has come and th

lad, Robert Lennox. "Hurons are not good marksmen, but if they kept on firing they'd be likely

e green wall of forest, and replied in pure On

r General of Canada) would send the Hurons and the other nations allied with the French against t

ped many a foray of the French. More than one little

New York, but their hunting grounds and real domain, over which they were lords, extended from the Hudson to the Ohio and from the St. Lawrence to the Cumberla

to plow the land and raise corn, but the sons of Onontio go into the forest and become hunters and

ench take to the wild life and would rather be rovers. When it comes to fighting it puts our people at a great disadvant

en to Quebec, Dav

power in North America. We English in this country rule our selves mostly, but the French in Ca

ve they'll att

time and place. I think they've been sending war bel

e, Dave, and they are brave and gallant here too,

an the English to the ways of the Indian, but consideration for the feelings of Tayoga restrained him

ave," said Lennox, "that

rom Northern France. I suppose we mostly think of the French as short and dark, but these were tall

s never to have known a father or a mother, and for his kindest and best friends to be of a blood not his own. The moments

ughly to the bark. The ribs also were of white ash, strong and flexible, and fastened at each end under the rim. The prow, where the ends of the bark came together, was quite sharp, and the canoe, while very light and apparently frail, was exceedingly st

and of the Mohawks, are

nn

Gate, rule here," replied the young warr

the Hurons, who now fight one ano

the French have built their capital of Quebec. Thence their power spread, and becoming a great nation themselves they separated from the Wanedote. But many enemies attacked them and they moved t

e red races and the white don't differ much. The flux and movement have been going

s, Keepers of the Council, the Brand and the Wampum, know it. The power of the Long House cannot be broken. Onundagaono, Ganeogaono, Nundawaono (Sene

limits of his horizon Tayoga, a coming chief of the clan of the Bear, of the nation Onondaga, of the League of the Hodenosaunee, was as thoroughly of royal blood as any sovereign on his throne. He and his father and his father's father before him and other

he did not feel any superiority to Tayoga. Instead he paid him respect where respect was due because, born to a great place in a great race, he was equal to it. He understood, to

he canoe around the curve. The fresh reach of water was peaceful too, unruffled by the craft of any enemy, and on either side the same lofty banks of solid green stretched ahead. Above and beyond the cliffs rose the distant peaks and ridges of the high moun

s the cove, Tayo

e," replied

re, and look for game. We've

as fully equal to the task. His powerful arms swept the broad blade through the water, and the canoe shot forward at a renewed pace. Long practice and training had

blue. A flock of wild ducks swam near the edge and he saw two darting loons, but there was no other presence. Silence, be

okes of the paddle, turned the canoe into the stream and advanced some distance up it, until he stopped at a point where it broadened into an expanse like a pool, covered partly with water lilies, and

don't you, Tayoga?" said Will

ere today. The lilies are undisturbed. Not a reed has been bent. Ducks that have not yet seen us are swimm

wouldn't have noticed it, but since you've spoken of it I ca

larm, and he's safe. We'll have to look for something else. Just there on the righ

tween the tall reeds, then slowed it down with

rder that it might dry. The bank at that point was not steep and the presence

nted us and gone, there must be more deer in the woods. Maybe they're full of

d Robert, "and it would be unwise to use our rifle

ago," said Tayoga, "and but few of their war

nce to be near. We must not use our rifles. Inste

serve us," said the young ch

nd the canoe, while the pair of you boys go and find the deer. Y

Tayoga flashed in

t Bear, who calls himself

oquois don't call me Great Bear for nothing. My muscles are as hard as ever, and my wind's as g

ow quick he could be when I was about to be cut to pieces under the sharp hoofs of the

st a little matter between friends. You

one it alread

obert noticed with admiration the play of the great arms and shoulders. Seen now upon the land and standing at his full height Will

of it, since they can find here the food they like, and it hasn't been ranged over for a long t

look far for deer," said the Onondaga, "and I leav

anything else to do I'd go along with you two lads and see

nt, and took from the canoe a long slender package, wrapped carefully i

ly one of great strength and equal skill could bend it. He brought it to the proper curve with a sudden, swift effort, and strung it. The

ly dressed deerskin, elaborately decorated with the stained quills of the

ed about the shaft. They, like the bow and quiver, were fine specimens of workmanship and w

ist with the sinews of the deer, and the upper with the same kind of cord, which he carried around the neck and then under his left arm. The ends of th

ruled over by man. Tayoga, as he strung his bow and hung his quiver, felt a great emotion, the spirit of his ancestors he would have called it, descending upon him. Waano and he fitted together and for the time he cheris

out, Tayoga?" asked Rober

ok himself and l

ng. I was dreaming of the deer that we'll s

illet, "I'll be building the fire on w

e. It was merely a precaution, as the Hurons, Abenakis, Caughnawagas and other tribes in the north were beginning to stir and mutte

h with the bow, and the white youth with the rifle, as they passed among the trees. Rabbits looked at them from small red eyes.

ed with anger, his eyes reddening and his sharp claws thrusting forth as he looked at the two beings whom he instinctively hated much and feared more. The leaves swarmed with birds, robins and wrens and catbirds and all the feathered tribe keep

in his hand fitted into the palm like a knife in its sheath. He heard the animals and the birds, and the sounds were those to which his ancestors had listened a thousand years and more. Once again he was proud of

uses for which every one was best fitted. He noticed particularly the great maples, so precious to the Iroquois, from which they took sap and made sugar, and which gave an occasion and name to one of th

to observe everything that met the human eye, and now he not only examined the trees, but also the brooks and the little ravines and the swell of t

ces of hoofs, and, calling Robert's attention, the two ex

ayoga; "scarc

id Robert. "The deer

make him run. Here go the traces in almost a

is blowing toward us, and he can take

o an Onondaga if a d

ng made ashamed, Tayoga. As you're to

either made a twig or leaf rustle. Tayoga always followed the traces. The deer had nibbled tender young shoots, but he had not remained long in

lowing his gaze, saw a stag about a hundred yards away, a splendid fellow

ered the young warrior, "and wi

he stag which, like himself, fitted into the forest. He would not have hunted him for sport, nor at any other time would he h

young chief himself, and the two feathers were curved in the right manner to secure the utmost degree of speed and accuracy. He fitted it to the string and drew the bow far back, almost to the head of the shaft. Now he

d the squirrel chattering in the tree or the bird singing on the bough just over his head tell him that the hunter was near. Tayoga looked again down the arrow a

f the stag, which, leaping upward, fell, writhed convulsively a moment or two, and died. The young Onond

d Robert, "and I knew before you sh

Tayoga modestly. "I should have b

and returned it to gadasha, the quiver. Arrows required time and labor for the making, but unlike th

and removing all the choicer portions of the deer, and before they finished they hear

come early,"

rt, "or they wouldn't let us know so

the wolf," said Tayoga, not ceasing in his work, his shining blade flashing back and

a wolf, Tayoga, what bec

ng condemned to live in that foul home forever. Such a punishment is only for the mo

he calls them before him and looks into their souls. Nothing can be hidden from him. He sees the evil thought, Lennox, as you or I would see a leaf upon the water, and then he judges. And he is merciful. He does not condemn and send to everlasting torture, because evil may yet be left in the soul, but if

in which the Catholic church believes. Your God like ours is merciful, an

we only see him through different glasses, but our rel

. The young Onondaga did not believe his religion resembled the white man's but that the white man's resemb

oga, "and since the soul of a warrior

ce of the deer and thre

nd the noise of strug

ere," said Robert, "but even so he has to fight

d thinking as a man, he must yet bite and claw with beasts

carried to the canoe. Both were fastidious, wishing to get no stain upon their clothing, and, their task completed, they carefully washed t

x be its equal. The foolish bear and the mad panther fight alone, but the wolf, who is too small to face either, bands with his brothers into a league, even

e from our weapons. I can see their noses poking already in their eagerness through the

sh of light feet, and angry snarling. Looking back, Robert saw that the carcass of the stag was already